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TESTIMONY
Testimony by Council Member Gale Brewer against the proposed land use reforms
2:34:23
·
4 min
Council Member Gale Brewer testifies in strong opposition to the proposed land use reforms, arguing they undermine public accountability and the role of communities.
She specifically criticizes the proposed appeals board, the concurrent review process for community boards and borough presidents, and the fast-tracking of affordable housing on public land without a full public process.
She also dismisses the idea that her district doesn't provide affordable housing, stating she is "pissed off" by the suggestion and can point to numerous sites where she has fought for it.
- Brewer believes the land use proposals undermine democratic checks and balances.
- She argues the proposed three-person appeals board is flawed because the Speaker cannot adequately represent the entire council's diverse interests.
- She states that having community boards and borough presidents review projects concurrently is "bad for public policy" because the BP relies on the CB's input.
- She insists that a full public process is necessary to determine affordability levels, infrastructure needs, and community benefits for projects on public land.
Gale Brewer
2:34:23
I'm I'm talking about
Richard R. Buery Jr.
2:34:24
use the other no.
2:34:25
No.
2:34:26
You can go around the other way.
2:34:27
But, council member Brewer can testify alone followed by Jeremy Joseph and Asher Walker in the next panel.
Dr. Jessie Fields
2:34:33
Please
Gale Brewer
2:34:33
continue.
2:34:33
Very much.
2:34:34
I am gonna talk about land deals, but I just wanna say in terms of elections, the only problem is that when you have open primaries, the Republicans hide the fact that they're Republicans, and they nobody ever knows.
2:34:47
We had this on the East Side for a while.
2:34:49
I just wanna make it clear.
2:34:50
And second, I don't target, voters, and I've never lost an election.
2:34:55
I just wanna point that out.
2:34:58
So I am Gail Bloor, and I am, District 6 in the city council.
2:35:04
I wanted to say that I am very much against these proposals, as you can imagine, that are under consideration regarding land use for the ballot.
2:35:13
The fast track and the expanded land use review procedures may appear to support housing production, but I think in reality, they do so by undermining public accountability, democratic checks and balances, and the role of the communities we serve.
2:35:27
We all want affordable housing.
2:35:29
Let me just give you some of the challenges that I feel very strong.
2:35:32
First of all, with the issue of I'll summarize this.
2:35:36
The issue of the appeal board consisting of the mayor, the speaker, and the borough presidents.
2:35:41
It is absolutely, true that it is not like in 1989, the decision that eliminated the board of estimate because of one person, one vote, and that's not applicable because you have a relevant borough president.
2:35:53
However, I strongly believe that the speaker cannot represent the entire council even though they were elected by his or her peers.
2:36:01
If the speaker is a council member from Manhattan, for instance, they do not know the particulars of Staten Island, as Diane knows, for instance, and should not be representing those constituents.
2:36:12
This panel, in my opinion, cuts away the voice of the community and true representation as one example in your proposals.
2:36:20
Another one, the process of the sixty day opportunity for community board and borough president review does not make sense.
2:36:27
The borough president, I know, I was a borough president, relies on the input from community board meetings.
2:36:34
You only have thirty days, and it is bad for public policy.
2:36:38
And you need to have that input for the borough president.
2:36:42
Eliminating ULUPs on public land that are slated for a 100% affordable housing, it sounds great on paper.
2:36:50
However, who speaks to the neighbors such as residents of NYCHA, which would be a public land proposal?
2:36:59
Who decides and that's the situation right now that I have with Harborview.
2:37:03
Who decides the AMI?
2:37:05
Who decides on any community benefit agreement?
2:37:08
What are the infrastructure needs?
2:37:10
Schools, libraries.
2:37:12
Only a public process with hearings of the community board, city planning, and the council gets to the point that there's the right mixture.
2:37:20
And I wanted to say in terms of the 12 community districts that you say do not provide affordable housing, that pisses me off.
2:37:27
The West Side has a lot, and we want more.
2:37:30
We have a situation on West 50 Ninth Street that is now slated for a shelter, brand new building.
2:37:36
We wanted it to be affordable housing.
2:37:38
And I could go through 10 more examples like that, plus we have the single room occupancies.
2:37:44
And I just wanna say what to do quickly.
2:37:46
Start earlier.
2:37:48
Start with a precertification discussion, community board and city planning.
2:37:53
These city agencies are slow.
2:37:55
Community board seven from Queens gave you an example.
2:37:58
Very, very slow.
2:37:59
Community board four, the best community board in the city.
2:38:02
Got Joe Restitchio on it.
2:38:04
Don't get better than that.
2:38:05
And they have lot every single lot has been decided and determined where affordable housing could do.
2:38:13
A glorified, fabulous one ninety seven a plan.
2:38:16
Work on that and make the sequel, which, of course, is the review process more efficient, less expensive, and more useful.
2:38:22
Hope Cohen testified at a hearing long ago.
2:38:25
She lists the whole thing how to do it.
2:38:27
I just think that you have to have this input that is local.
2:38:31
It is not true that one person holds it up.
2:38:34
You gave some examples, but most of the time, particularly now, the person is not holding up any particular project.
2:38:42
That one forty five, it was messed up.
2:38:45
But guess what?
2:38:45
They had a lot of time to figure out what to do right, and now the council member is making a proposal that I think people are in agreement with.
Richard R. Buery Jr.
2:38:52
Thank
Gale Brewer
2:38:52
you very much.
2:38:53
That's how a lot of people feel, but there was a lot of time to get it into a discussion phase.
Richard R. Buery Jr.
2:38:58
Thank you.
Gale Brewer
2:38:59
Also, we digitize the damn map, so I don't wanna hear that they all have to be haven't been digitized.
2:39:05
Manhattan map is digitized.
2:39:06
Thank you very much.
2:39:07
I did it.
2:39:08
Thank you very much.
2:39:08
Thank you.
2:39:10
Thank
Richard R. Buery Jr.
2:39:12
Any questions for?
2:39:12
you.
Diane Savino
2:39:15
No.
2:39:16
I'm afraid.
2:39:16
Maybe he does not.
Gale Brewer
2:39:18
You agree.
2:39:19
Thank you, Diane Tavino.